Readers and their Rides

Darwin BarnettKansas City CC: Darwin, what is your occupation? Darwin: I’m a semi-retired race promoter for Soul Brothers Race Team. CC: Why do you ride? Darwin: I love the feel of the outdoors and feel of the monster big block between my legs. CC: How long have you been riding? Darwin: Around 50 Yrs. CC: What was your first bike? Darwin: It was a Czeck 125 Enduro. CC: How many bikes have you owned? Darwin: Being that I owned a motorcycle shop; hundreds ( Smile). Personal bikes is probably around 15. CC: How many bikes do you currently own? Darwin:…

CC: Valerie, what is your occupation?Valerie: I’m a private investigator.CC: Why do you ride? Valerie: As a kid, I always liked the idea of riding my own cycle because you could go where you wanted, even if no roads were available. Bikes have been good to use for surveillance purposes so you can get through traffic, jump concrete islands in the street, or turn your headlight off to be more discrete, unless you are observing another coy biker.CC: How long have you been riding? Valerie: I have been riding, WOW, about 25 years, and hopefully I will always be able…

Our paths crossed twenty years ago when Bob worked out at the gym I owned in Gladstone, Missouri. Then one evening at Knucklehead’s Saloon, we were reacquainted and the more we talked, the more it clicked on where we knew each other! We reminisced about old friends then the conversation quickly turned to motorcycles. After hearing about his physical limitations on riding a two-wheeler and how he modified his Harley, we wanted to share his experience with you. Bob is not only a motorcycle rider and enthusiast, but he is also exceptional in the fact that he was born with…

CC: What is your occupation?Lloyd: Kansas City Missouri Fire FighterCC: Why do you ride?Lloyd: I love it, you see and realize the world like you can’t in a four-wheeler.CC: How long have you been riding?Lloyd: 39 yearsCC: What was your first bike?Lloyd: 100cc TohatsuCC: How many bikes have you owned?Lloyd: 9CC: How many bikes do you currently own?Lloyd: 1CC: What is the year, make, and model of your current 'primary' bike?Lloyd: 2002 HD Fire Fighter Special Ultra ClassicCC: What do you like most about your current 'primary' bike? Why?Lloyd: No better ride on the open road.CC: What is your most…

Age: Jerry: 56/Ryan: 29 Height: 5’7”/6’3” Zodiac sign: Scorpio/Libra Occupation: Retired/Construction Main Ride: 2004 HD Ultra Classic/1999 HD Road King (Jerry is giving Ryan his Road King as a gift as soon as his new one arrives) How Many Motorcycles Have You Owned? 5/None How long have you been riding? 25 years/Just startedWhen did you get your first bike? 13 years old/29 years old How many miles did you ride this year? 14,500/None How many states have you ridden in? 48/None Hobbies: Blues Music, Ararat Shrine/Football, Basketball Tattoo: Forearm-Scorpio, Shoulder-Jester/Back-Cat, Hip-Panther Favorite Motorcycle Trip: Canada & New York/Don't know yet…

I met Loney and Stephanie Wilcoxson through the Kansas City Southern Cruisers Riding Club. I ran into them last Saturday and Loney said, 'Wait till you see what I've done to my Fat Boy.' I decided to interview Loney and get the lowdown on the things that have kept him busy during the winter months. CC: What is the year, make of model of your bike? Loney: A 1997 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy. CC: How did you get into riding motorcycles? Loney: I started riding mini bikes as a kid. CC: How long have you been riding? 24 years. CC: How…

CC: What is your occupation? Larry: I’m a motorcycle service technician. CC: Any hobbies other than motorcycling?Larry: You mean like dirt bikes? Pool, RC aircraft, photography, and working in the machine shop. CC: Why do you ride? Larry: It's hard to explain. I love the feel of acceleration. There's nothing like going from 0 to 60 in 1 second, 0 to 180 in 7 seconds. Pretty neat stuff! CC: How long have you been riding? Larry: A long time, maybe 35 years. CC: What was your first bike? Larry: A 1965 Suzuki 80. Damn, I put a lot of miles…

Age: 42 Height: 6’2' Zodiac sign: Virgo Marital Status: Single Occupation: Warranty Claims Supervisor, Sony Electronics Main Ride: Yamaha FZ1 How Many Motorcycles Have You Owned? Two How long have you been riding? Since I was a kid, mini and dirt bikes. My “road” riding started in 1987 when a friend loaned me a Yamaha Seca 450. This experience was a big influence with getting the FZ1. When did you get your first bike? Age 14, a Kawasaki 175 How many miles did your ride this year? Since February ’02, I’ve put almost 8,000 miles on my bike. This year…

I first met Stripe several years ago at a Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) meeting. He was the chapter photographer, and it was evident he had a passion for photography and truly enjoyed taking photos of people being themselves. Stripe had a large binder of chapter photos that he'd taken over the years, which I flipped through after the meeting. I was amazed at the number of awesome photos he had taken at the numerous rallies and events he had attended. I also found out he has had numerous photos published in many nationally recognized motorcycle magazines such as American Iron,…

Age: 40 Height: 5’8' Zodiac sign: Leo Occupation: US Army-Logistics Sergeant Major 917th Corps Support Group Main Ride: 1997 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Other Bikes: 1971 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, in very good riding condition; just need a louder exhaust! How Many Motorcycles Have You Owned? Five How long have you been riding? 21 years When did you get your first bike? 1983 How many miles did your ride this year? Unfortunately, due to possible deployment, and just having our second child, I didn't get many miles in. I hope to get some miles in this year. Hobbies: Riding and camping Tattoo:…

CC: What is your occupation? Dave: IT Technical, and on evenings and weekends I'm a motorycle mechanic and Tech Tips writer for Cycle Connections Online Motorycle Magazine. CC: Do you have any hobbies, other than riding?Dave: I enjoy a variety of activities, including hunting, scuba diving, drag racing, trap shooting and motorcycle repair on all models. CC: What do you enjoy most about riding? Dave: To unplug from reality. CC: How long have you been riding? Dave: Around 20 years. CC: What was your first bike? Dave: It was a 1968 Kawasaki 250 Enduro. CC: How many bikes have you…

I'm blessed to live in a neighborhood where motorcycles are a common sight...and sound. In my cul-de-sac alone, I have three riding buddies, including John Osowski; better known as J.O. J.O. and his wife, Kay are two of the friendliest people you could ever meet. To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen J.O. in a bad mood. He has one of those contagious shit-eating grins that brightens up a room, while at the same time, making you wonder what the hell he's up to now!Since the time I launched Cycle Connections back in October of 2003, all my…

Age: 37Height: 6’1'Zodiac sign: GeminiOccupation: Fire science educator and lead singer of the band, 'Scotty and the Soul Tones'Hobbies: Kansas City Chiefs football, singing in my band, hanging out with my son and daughter, writing poetry and music.Piercing: Both ears are double pierced.Favorite Motorcycle Trip: Several friends and I rode to Detroit and Canada for a week. Also my trip to Sturgis.Where can we hear your band play? Every Saturday at Blayney’s in Westport from 5-7 p.m. and also around the Kansas City area. We’ve got the best blues, rhythm and blues and rockin’ originals in Kansas City!Editors Note: Featured…

Although I haven't met Cecil in person yet, I can tell from our e-mail interview that he is quite a colorful character. Cecil is a freelance video producer in St. Joseph, Missouri, who just happens to be a riding buddy of Doug Plowman, who we featured in our January Readers & Their Rides article.Even though in-person interviews are much more personable and fun, due to simple logistics (I can't be everywhere at once), our e-mail and phone interviews have proven to be quite entertaining.CC: When you're not making videos or riding, what other hobbies do you enjoy in St. Joseph?…

Age: 37Height: 6’0'Zodiac sign: TaurusOccupation: Union LaborerMain Ride: 1100 Honda Shadow ACEHow Long Have you been Riding: Started at age 5 How many miles did you ride this year: Not enough!Hobbies: Riding, playing pool, any water sportsTattoo: Twin dolphins on right bicepFavorite motorcycle rally or trip: Ozark HillsFavorite Bike Night Location:Paddy O'Quigley's, Lee's Summit, Missouri

Have you ever seen a bike with 47 ½” ape hangers? If not, now you have! The first time I saw this bike, which is owned by James Dean Lentz of St. Charles, Missouri, was last year at Yeager’s annual bike show in Sedalia, Missouri. Every August, a group of us ride down to Sedalia for the annual AMA Grand National Dirt Track Series races, and every year we stop by Larry Yeager’s shop to check out the bikes. I’ve seen a lot of ape hangers in my day, but when I saw this bike, I just had to take…

Doug Plowman is a real motorcycle enthusiast. Last year alone, he logged over 11,000 miles, including a 2,000-mile trip to Sturgis, South Dakota. Doug works as a Property Maintenance Inspector for the City of St. Joseph, and when he's not riding, he enjoys shooting, hunting and fishing. Doug says he likes to ride because of the freedom he can only get while riding his bike. Doug lives in St Joseph, Missouri, and since I didn't have time to hop on my bike and ride there to meet him, I cheated and picked up the phone to ask him a few…

Age: 52Height: 6’0'Zodiac sign: GeminiOccupation: Marketing Service Director for Interstate Brands CorporationMain Ride: 2003 Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Road King ClassicHow Long Have you been Riding: Since childhood on the tank of dad’s Indian. He had several bikes I used to ride, and in the early 70's I bought my first bike, which was a Yamaha. How many miles did you ride this year: 8,000Hobbies: Riding my Harley and sportsTattoo: Right arm - tribal designFavorite motorcycle rally or trip: Black Hills of South Dakota and the Harley-Davidson's 100th Anniversary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Favorite Bike Night Location:There is no bad location or ride,…

A couple of days before Christmas, while leaving my house I heard the distinct rumbling of a Harley in my next door neighbor’s garage. I knew my neighbor’s father owned a ’58 Harley-Davidson Duo Glide (which just happens to be the bike on our January cover), which he’d stored at his place while another neighbor did some work on it. But I was pretty sure that bike had been returned to his dad’s place a couple weeks prior. Being the nosey neighbor that I am, I walked across the yard and there in the garage was a brand new 100th…

They are suited up, the engines revved up and the Clemons' family is on the go - with motocross racing. Is that Mark? No, it's Mike. Is that Mike? No, it's Mark. It's hard to tell since Mark and Mike are twin brothers; and their sons, Alex and Jordan also race. The similarities don't end there; they also live next door to each other on acreage in Kearney, Missouri. They do water sports together and sometimes even vacation together. Mike built a practice track and Mark has the trailer to haul the bikes, which seems to be a cool set…